A majority of domestic flights to Canada香蕉视频直播檚 busiest airports were delayed or cancelled over the past week as the effects of an overloaded international network continue to ripple across the country.

Some 54 per cent of flights to the four largest airports were bumped off schedule in the seven days between June 22 and 28, according to analytics firm Data Wazo.

More than 44 per cent of the 4,815 flights were delayed while 8.5 per cent were scrapped altogether.

Toronto香蕉视频直播檚 Pearson airport topped the list, with 51 per cent of flights delayed 香蕉视频直播� more than 700 香蕉视频直播� and 12 per cent cancelled. Montreal was runner-up at 43 per cent delayed and 15 per cent cancelled. The other two airports were Vancouver and Calgary.

Airlines and the federal government have been scrambling to respond to scenes of endless lines, flight disruptions, lost luggage and daily turmoil at airports 香蕉视频直播� particularly at Pearson 香蕉视频直播� a problem the aviation industry has blamed on a shortage of federal security and customs officers at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA).

John Gradek, head of McGill University香蕉视频直播檚 aviation management program, says carriers have used Ottawa as a 香蕉视频直播渟capegoat香蕉视频直播� while scheduling more flights than they have staff or planes to provide, resulting in delays and cancellations.

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Canada香蕉视频直播檚 airport security agency has hired more than 900 screeners since April, though many remain in training. Ottawa also suspended randomized COVID-19 testing of vaccinated passengers on June 11 through at least Thursday following sector demands to process international travellers more quickly.

Passengers and federally regulated transport workers are no longer required to be fully vaccinated to board a plane or train in Canada or come to work.

Ray Harris, who heads Fredericton-based data company Data Wazo, said his figures show flight disruptions have not improved in June, despite the paused tests and back-to-work staff, at the outset of peak travel season.

香蕉视频直播淭hat didn香蕉视频直播檛 really move the needle in any direction,香蕉视频直播� he said in an interview. 香蕉视频直播淥r maybe it did speed it up. But in the other direction, passengers also probably increased and so there香蕉视频直播檚 a net-zero effect.香蕉视频直播�

Harris is among the thousands of Canadians to feel the frustration personally. He was slated to fly with his partner and three-year-old child to Toronto from Fredericton on June 9 for a four-day getaway. Air Canada cancelled it 21 hours before departure. The rebooked flight, which had a four-hour layover in Montreal, was also cancelled.

香蕉视频直播淲e just went for a drive to PEI instead,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淚 said screw it, if I don香蕉视频直播檛 get a vacation, I香蕉视频直播檓 building a (data) dashboard.香蕉视频直播�

Philippe Rainville, CEO of Montreal香蕉视频直播檚 airport authority, said in an interview that global flight disruptions are having a knock-on effect on domestic schedules.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a consequence of the delay in international flights,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭o delay a domestic flight is a lot easier because flying to major hubs in Europe, the slots are very tight. Domestically, we香蕉视频直播檝e got a lot more leeway.香蕉视频直播�

Luggage is an especially sticky problem, with a shortage of baggage handlers to shuttle suitcases from late arrivals to connecting planes amid last-minute gate changes.

香蕉视频直播淚t creates a bottleneck and congestion and to some extent a bit of a nightmare,香蕉视频直播� Rainville said.

Kinks in one part of the air travel pipeline can snarl others, with overflowing customs areas stopping flight crews from disembarking, for example, or a lack of airline customer service agents exacerbating delays.

Flights held on the tarmac can leave crew out of 香蕉视频直播渄uty time香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� the regulatory and contractual limits on hours worked 香蕉视频直播� prompting personnel gaps. Agents tied up boarding passengers for a delayed flight can香蕉视频直播檛 cover check-in counters, leading to delays in a different part of the airport. Similar snags confront baggage handlers.

Passengers say they receive last-minute emails informing them of repeated delays, aircraft changes or rebookings scheduled days after the original departure time. Reasons cited run the gamut from absent pilots to unplanned mechanical maintenance.

Long security lines also continue to plague airports amid an ongoing shortage of staff, from screeners to air traffic controllers.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 not enough of them. And if you get sick, then they get sick too,香蕉视频直播� said Helane Becker, an aviation analyst for financial-services firm Cowen.

Air Canada has said it continues to hire, with 32,000 employees now on its payroll 香蕉视频直播� nearing 2019 staffing levels 香蕉视频直播� and its schedule operating at just 80 per cent of 2019 volumes, said spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick.

香蕉视频直播擟hristopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press